Ca’s accountability plan may prove a model to the nation
(Calif.) Even in the absence of detailed guidance on how schools and states will transition to the newly reauthorized Every Student Succeeds Act, the California State Board of Education continued Wednesday to advance its new school accountability system with an eye toward making any forthcoming federal mandates fit its needs rather than the other way around.
Pointing out that federal education funding for California schools amounts to about $7 billion – roughly 10 percent of the $71 billion provided by the state, board member Sue Burr reminded her colleagues that they know best the needs of their public schools and must keep that ideal front and center as they continue the transition to a new era of accountability.
“While it’s fantastic that they have reauthorized this federal law – and in many ways it’s remarkably congruent with what we’ve already been doing the last two-and-a-half years and gives us a wonderful opportunity to align our two systems – I want to keep that in context because we’re responsible for our children in California,” said Burr, a former top education advisor to Gov. Jerry Brown.
“I really want us to think about how we create accountability with the state being the leader in the conversation, and in proportion to our [financial] contribution and our [Constitutional] responsibility,” she said.
Having taken its own path toward developing a new school accountability system at a time when most states chose to pursue a federal waiver program, California may well emerge a national leader in terms of creating a state performance model that will also meet requirements under the country’s newest education law.
In 2011, with the nation’s schools heading toward academic failure under the unrealistic requirements of No Child Left Behind – and with bi-partisan gridlock dashing any hope that Congress would take action to avert the disaster – the Obama administration began granting waivers from Ca’s accountability plan may prove a model to the nation :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet:
